Protector
by Nae'ka
Summary: James is a little protective of Henry... Perhaps even obsessed. But the others don't seem to notice. -AU, JamesHenry-


**The Protector**

**Author's notes:** Another request by an ANON on tumblr. "**_I was kind of wondering if you could write some James/Henry and James is being all protective for some reason"._**

**Warnings:** AU where all the protagonists (sans Harry) are traveling the town together. James is anything but the sweetie-pie people like to make him out to be.

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Henry, as antisocial as he is, loves being around other people. He's horrible at talking to them, but it seems as though their 'normal' presence comforts him and as much as James hates that fact… He respects it.

James on the other hand has no problem talking to people. He believes himself to be quite good at it and being able to tell when they are hiding something. Which, of course, everyone is. He trusts no one.

Except Henry.

The man is completely transparent, even if his shows of emotion are subtle, they are definitely there. James loves being the only person who can read him; see through that apparent wall that Henry never meant to put up.

When they're traveling through this living Hell with the others, when they've finally found everyone who had been held prisoner in the town, James had never seen Henry so completely happy. Of course, it was only through the small smiles, the calm in his voice, how he stopped 'seeing Walter' in every window pane and mirror and the general way his body started to relax, that James could tell Henry actually _was_ a people person.

The blonde had found himself… what was the right word… Not obsessed, but perhaps… Enchanted. Yes, enchanted by Henry Townshend. The only person here whose background involved no darkness, no hatred, no murder, lies or pain… He was a photographer, as James discovered, a bachelor who lived on his own and didn't go out often.

Someone who didn't stumble into Silent Hill, but rather was found in the world of the peaceful living and torn violently away by a monster that had found the brunette as incredible as James did. It sickened him.

When they had first met, before they had found the others, Henry was running quickly, weaponless and panting hard. James called out to him, jumping in front of the frantic man and holding onto his shoulders as Henry begged James to release him. He was trembling under his fingers, eyes wide and looking over his shoulders, all around him. The first noticeable thing about him was the blood that covered his face and the way it seemed to be smeared thinly against his neck.

James had taken him aside and cleaned him up, using his own sleeve to get the blood off Henry's face, being as gentle as he could possibly be, while Henry kept looking around.

He had tried to get the man to relax, mumbling this and that, offering a first aid kit to heal his wounds and get him feeling better. It wasn't until Henry met Alex and Travis that he finally started to calm down.

When James jokingly (except_ not_) brought up the fact, Henry quietly replied with a mumbled explanation of the last time he only had one companion.

She had died.

Though still fighting down the tiniest bits of jealousy, he still felt a surge of anger at the idea that Walter had done this to him… Had given Henry hope… before destroying it and mentally breaking him. He taken Henry from the real world and placed him like a toy doll into a world of seclusion and death.

Although he wasn't sure why, it infuriated James. He had become fiercely possessive of Henry.

It went unnoticed by the others.

Henry had left their group, with Heather, to check out another level of the Town Hall. They had all taken turns doing so. James was currently taking inventory of their weapons supply, while the others still worked at combining all their maps into one.

They were looking for a way out.

James knew the way out, he always had.

Walter was still out there somewhere, looking for Henry and if they escaped now, he would surely bring him back and finish what he had started. James refused to allow that. He glared, unnoticed, at the others as they worked. They laughed and talked and planned together so well. Just the sight of it made his skin crawl.

They all had _histories_ and deserved to be here. **_He_** deserved to be here.

James closed his eyes and rubbed his increasingly sore temples. Anger and guilt needed to be avoided at all costs. He couldn't deal with the situation at hand if he was to get Henry and himself out of this hell hole alive.

He couldn't transform… Especially not with fucking **Alessa **walking around two levels away.

With _his _Henry.

He hated her, loathed and was disgusted by every breath she took. He knew who she was, even if she didn't. The monster inside of him threatened to burst out every time she took Henry's arm or laughed at his jokes.

Okay, maybe he didn't hate _her _as much as he hated… himself? Henry?

Who cares.

Why did Henry agree to go with her up there?

What are they doing, taking so long?!

James was nearly bristling, when his mind caught a bit of a conversation between Alex and Murphy.

"… don't really trust him… I mean, I didn't believe I had done anything before I came back here. If that guy is still after him, maybe he hasn't had an epiphany or whatever yet…"

Murphy's deep voice replied with a scornful, "If there really _is _a man after him."

James' eyes went wide.

Alex's must have too. "You mean… You don't think Walter exists?"

He heard the older man shift a bit. "Just saying, if there is some ghost that wants him dead so bad… Why hasn't he come out yet?" His voice was lowered more still and James strained to hear it. "What if there is no Walter? I don't trust that the supposed ' Receiver of Wisdom' isn't seeking another victim."

James stood up quickly, face red to his ears and mouth curled up in a vicious sneer. "You know nothing of this town, you fucking monster! Shut your goddamned mouth!"

Murphy stood quickly as well, defensively, but before he could reply, the door swung open and an exasperated Heather stomped in. Henry trailed quietly in behind her, eyes meeting James briefly, with a smile.

"We didn't find anything import… ant…" The blonde woman noticed the tension in the room immediately. "What's going on, guys?" She said slowly.

Travis sighed and shook his head. "Stress is getting to everyone, we need rest."

Henry nodded and much to James joy, walked over to sit next to the blonde. "I'm ready for a nap." He mumbled.

"You can all sleep." Murphy announced, sitting back on his spot on the floor of the empty room, gaze never leaving James'. "I'll keep guard."

Everyone began to get comfortable, finding spots where they could lay without really touching. Alex slept close to Murphy though, on the opposite side of the man that Henry and James were on.

Henry curled up on the floor beside the blonde, who was now sitting against a wall. "Aren't you tired?"

James shook his head, keeping his eye on Murphy. How he hated this stupid group of monsters that Henry insisted they travel with. They were going to be the death of him, if James wasn't extra careful. He felt a gentle hand cover his own and looked down to find Henry smiling softly up at him.

"At least try to relax, okay? Everything's going to be fine."

"Yeah." His eyes never left Murphy, who had now taken a sudden interest in the immediately sleeping Alex. Creep. "I'll make sure of it."

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**end**

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